US ready-to cook poultry weights; up 9 percent on-year

Poultry certified wholesome during September 2008 (ready-to-cook weight) totalled 3.72 billion pounds, up 9 percent from the amount certified in September 2007.

The USDA's National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) comment on the slightly higher poultry ready-to-cook weights in their monthly Poultry Slaughter Report.

The August 2008 revised certification of wholesome poultry, totalling at 3.65 billion pounds, was down 3 percent from August 2007. The August revision represented an increase of 22,000 pounds from last month's preliminary pounds certified.

Young chickens inspected totalled 4.23 billion pounds, up 8 percent from September 2007. Mature chickens, at 76.9 million pounds, were up 34 percent from the previous year. Turkey inspections totalled 648 million pounds, up 12 percent from a year ago. Ducks totalled 13.8 million pounds, up 7 percent from last year.

Young chickens slaughtered during September 2008 averaged 5.62 pounds per bird, up 2 percent from September 2007. The average live weight of mature chickens was 5.93 pounds per bird, down 3 percent from a year ago. Turkeys slaughtered during September 2008 averaged 28.5 pounds per bird, up 2 percent from September 2007.

Ante-mortem condemnations during September 2008 totalled 13.8 million pounds. Condemnations were 0.28 percent of the live weight inspected, as compared with 0.33 percent a year earlier. Post-mortem condemnations, at 40.6 million pounds, were 1.08 percent of quantities inspected, as compared with 1.13 percent a year earlier.